Binghamton researchers develop Wordle strategy with 99% success rate
6 reported
Researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York, have developed a mathematical approach to solving the New York Times puzzle game Wordle that achieves a 99% success rate, according to a study published in the Northeast Journal of Complex Systems. The method uses Shannon entropy, a concept from information theory that measures uncertainty, to identify guesses that reveal the most information about the hidden five-letter word rather than focusing on words most likely to be the answer. In computer simulations, this information theory-based strategy solved 99% of Wordle puzzles, outperforming a more traditional approach that emphasizes frequently used letters, which solved about 90%. The project began as a class assignment led by Assistant Professor Congyu "Peter" Wu, who challenged students to apply information theory to a real-world problem. Co-authors include doctoral student Donald Stephens and Talal Aladaileh, among others. The study is titled "Solving Wordle Using Information Theory."
What’s reported
Researchers at Binghamton University developed a Wordle-solving strategy using Shannon entropy.
The method prioritizes guesses that maximize information gain over guesses most likely to be correct.
In computer simulations, the strategy solved 99% of Wordle puzzles.
A traditional strategy emphasizing frequently used letters solved about 90%.
The project started as a class assignment by Assistant Professor Congyu "Peter" Wu.
The study was published in the Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS), Volume 8, Issue 1, 2026.
Key figures
Congyu "Peter" Wu, Assistant Professor at Binghamton University's Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science's School of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering
Donald Stephens, doctoral student at Binghamton University
Talal Aladaileh, co-author and student at Binghamton University
Sources: ScienceDaily
